SE - Chap 4 - Process Models

Why must a duality exist between product and process?

If the process is weak, the end product will suffer. But an obsessive over reliance on process is also dangerous. It is one important element in keeping creative people engaged as software engineering continues to evolve.

What does it mean that the five phases of the Unified Process occur with staggered concurrency.

While construction, transition, and production phases are being conducted, work may begin on the next increment.

What is the purpose of Software Process Models?

To try to reduce the chaos present in developing new software products.

What are the Five Phases of the Unified Process?

1. Inception 2. Elaboration 3. Construction 4. Transition 5. Production

Describe the Unified Process?

An attempt to draw on the best features and characteristics of traditional software process models, but characterize them in a way that implements many of the best principles of agile software development.

What is Prototyping?

Common technique that can be implemented within the context of any one of the process models.

What are cross cutting concerns?

Concerns that cut across multiple system functions, features, and information.

What are aspectual requirements?

Crosscutting concerns that have an impact across the software architecture.

What is an Incremental Process Model?

Delivers a set of releases, called increments, that provide progressively more functionality for the customer.

Describe Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Software Components

Developed by vendors who offer them as products, provide targeted functionality with well-defined interfaces that enable the component to be integrated into the software that is to be built.

Describe the Personal Software Process Model. (PSP)

Emphasizes personal measurement of both the work product that is produced and the quality. Makes the developer responsible for project planning and empowers the developer to control the quality of all software work products that are developed.

What is Aspect-Oriented Software Development (AOSD)

Software engineering paradigm that provides a process and methodical approach for defining, specifying, designing, and constructing aspects - "mechanisms beyond subroutines and inheritance for localizing the expression of a crosscutting concern.

Describe the Formal Methods Model

Specify, develop, and verify a computer-based system by applying a rigorous mathematical notation. Helps to discover and correct errors.

The best software process is one that is close to the people who will be doing the work?

True

The team could create its own process, and at the same time meet the narrower needs of individuals and the broader needs of the organization.

True

When a software process is developed by management, it will only be effective if it meets the needs of the team doing the work.

True

Describe a Component Based Development Model.

- Available component based products are researched and evaluated for the application domain in question. - Component integration issues are considered. - A software architecture is designed to accommodate the components. - Components are integrated into the architecture. - Comprehensive testing is conducted to ensure proper functionality.

Who uses Formal Method Models?

Used by developers who build safety-critical software (aviation & medical devices)

Describe the Team Software Process Model. (TSP)

It's goal is to build a "self-directed" project team that organizes itself to produce high-quality software.

What are Process Modeling Tools?

Used to represent the key elements of a process so that it can be better understood.

What are some potential weaknesses for the Evolutionary Process Models?

- Hard to project planning, because unsure of number of cycles required. - If too fast, process falls into chaos. Too slow, productivity is affected. - Focus on flexibility and extensibility, not high quality

Describe Concurrent Development Models.

- Teams can use iterative and concurrent elements from any of the process models. - Activities exist concurrently but reside in different states. - Often more appropriate for product engineering projects where different engineering teams are involved. - Defines a process network. All activities and tasks on the network exist simultaneously.

Describe the stages of the Prototyping Paradigm.

1. Begins with communication to understand objectives and requirements. 2. Prototyping iteration is planned quickly, modeling occurs. 3. Prototype is constructed from quick design. 4. Prototype evaluated by shareholders, who provide feedback. 5. Iteration occurs until final is reached.

List the Five PSP Framework Activities?

1. Planning 2. High-Level Design 3. High-Level Design Review 4. Development 5. Postmortem

What are the Five TSP Framework Activities?

1. Project Launch 2. High-Level Design 3. Implementation 4. Integration and Testing 5. Postmortem

What are some problems sometimes encountered with the Waterfall Model?

1. Real projects rarely follow the sequential flow. 2. Often difficult for client to explicitly state all requirements at the beginning. 3. Customer must be patient. Working program is not available until late in the project timeline.

What are anchor point milestones?

A combination of work products and conditions that are attained along the path of the spiral - are noted for each evolutionary pass around the spiral.

Describe the Waterfall Model.

A systematic, sequential approach to software development. It begins with customer specification of requirements, then continues through... > planning > modeling > construction > deployment ends with ongoing support of completed product.

Describe the Spiral Model?

An evolutionary software process model, that couples that iterative nature of prototyping with the controlled and systematic aspects of the waterfall model. Rapid development of increasingly more complex versions of the software. It can be applied throughout the entire life cycle of an application, from concept to development to maintenance.

Describe the V-Model

No fundamental difference between the v-model and waterfall model. Illustrates how verification and validation actions are associated with earlier engineering actions.

What are some examples of Process Modeling Tools?

Igrafx Process Tools Adeptia BPM Services

What are some problems when applying the Formal Methods Model.

It's time consuming and expensive Requires extensive training Difficult for technically unsophisticated customers

What does PSP emphasize?

PSP emphasizes the need to record and analyze the types of errors made, so that you can develop strategies to eliminate them.

What are Prescriptive Process Models?

Process Models that strive for structure and order in software development. Use a prescribed set of software elements and a predictable process workflow.

What is an Evolutionary Process Model?

Produces an increasingly more complete version of the software with each iteration.

What are some problems with Prototyping?

Steakholders see a working version, that is haphazardly built. They don't understand why it needs to be rebuilt.